by David Lee
he would lift, hold before his face
thumb the switch
after checking that the cord was plugged in correctly
and listen to its perfectly engineered
immaculately designed
happy birthday from your son Charles E. Carr, Jr.
impeccable German whine
The Second Miracle
Daryl Glen Strickland
ten years into his current drunk
found his way to the monument
with a Jax beer in one hand
the remaining three of the six pack
papersacked in the other
looked up at the sculpture
the seeming spiral movement
the face changing expression
with the light flow, sift of breeze
passing through the welded body
dizzied him
until he dropped to a knee
where he remained for a quarter hour supine
staring upward into the obelisk
then rose and stumbled to the garbage barrel
tossed in his open can
placed the three live soldiers beside the drum
that night at the Dew Drop Inn
Bus Pennel mentioned
the Monument to the South Plains
Daryl Glen Strickland once again
wobbled until he had to leave the bar
go outside for fresh air
from then on when he came
to the Dew he drank only R.C. Cola
he returned again and again
to view Willy John’s first masterpiece
sober
saying any time he thought of drinking
he pictured it in his mind
and dizziness poisoned the urge
said he was pretty sure
he overheard himself
praying to it a few times
until he finally gave it up
for good
the men’s glee club at the Dew Drop
said Poor devil
he’s cursed with the genius
caint get it out of his system
probley rurnt forever
they said
That’s too bad
he was a good old boy
oncet upon a time
Eloise Ann’s Story: Upon Her Daughter Finding the Shotgunned Bodies of a Sandhill Crane and her Colt in the Grainfield Stubble
I remember when I was her age
one of our neighbors shot my puppy
Daddy said He will pay for that in the hereafter
down the road from our place
somebody had painted on a sign
REPENT JESUS IS COMING SOON THE END IS NEAR
and I thought then
no it isn’t
either it’s already come and gone
and He went away, left for good
or it’s too late
we are all sunsucked dry with meanness
where a bucket of water on cheatgrass
wouldn’t pull enough suption
to let a stem call up spit
why would He want to come back to this?
that’s what I wanted to know
what I had to say about all of it back then
when I was a child like her wondering
why somebody would do something like that
to my puppy dog, to me
to my whole world and everything
I’d learned to believe in
about it all
The Committee to Review and Revise The Board of Education Mission Statement
This little light of mine
—Vacation Bible School song
You put me on that committee
first thing I’ll do is call a vote to disband
Is it the committee or the people on it?
It’s about equal, I’d guess
Is there anything today you detest more than educationists or committees?
Probably prayer before the meeting starts
You don’t approve of praying
Not in public, nosir, but that’s not the point
What is then?
Praying before an education meeting is akin to beseeching omnipotent
permission
in this instance to enact revisionist precepts of the moronic and mundane
a silly concept for which I have neither patience, respect nor time of day
I would rather proceed without same then ask forgiveness for idiotic
transgression
which is a Christian, even a Baptist Christian, obligation to remit
The people on that committee are too intellectually rigid to even
acknowledge that
I see what you mean
I accept that analysis maintaining reservations
It’s not a big deal anyway, Billy, being more figurehead than reality
I doubt that committee even has the authority to disband itself
Full circle, full cliché
if nominated I will not run, if elected I will not serve
being unwilling to lead or follow in this meaningless matter
I move to cease discussion and approve my stance by acclamation
that movement being neither debatable nor amendable
I second that motion and vote yea
That, sir, being a highly commendable votive castureation worthy of one PBR
Which I accept with honor
Let us go then you and I
while the evening spreads against the sky
like alcoholics to the School Board Meeting
I, sir, am not an alcoholic
I am a votive casturationist drunk
The difference being?
Alcoholics go to meetings
I’m going to Adolph’s
Perhaps you do know Jack Shit
and in that light
I, sir, will be your Sancho Panza
Let’s shine, compadre
stars aglitter in mud puddles
let us go forth and shine
Higher Authority
Oh Hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold?
—Paradise Lost IV, 360
1
What are you doing!
Oh god
Oh shit
Jimmy Don who is that in my
Kim Pierce! What are you
I can explain Mrs Strachioner
No you can’t
Oh god
Young lady you get out of my bedroom
Baby, I can
Don’t you Baby me Get out of my bed
that piece of flesh you’re with is a high school student, a minor
you should be really Really ashamed of yourself
you concubine chasing scum sucker child molesting snotty nosed Poland
China boar hog
I don’t want to ever see you again
Really, I can
Don’t you say another word, Miss Pierce
you get your clothes on
and yourself out of my house
Oh shit
And I can tell you one more thing, young lady
you are getting an unexcused absence
for this
Oh Hell! There goes my reputation
Baby, we can work this out
No we can’t, we won’t
get your clothes on
both of you get out of this house
If this gets around I’m dead
Jerry Tey will ask
for his class ring back, I know it
Get out of this house Now
Baby, you need to set down
and think this over
Jimmy Don, you have one minute
to be out of this house
I’m getting the shotgun
and I won’t be particular
about where I’m aiming
Oh god
You have 54 seconds left
Oh shit, I think she means it
Oh god
50 se
conds
I know where it is and it’s loaded
I’m leaving, I’m leaving
You don’t have any clothes on, Kimmie
You can go fuck yourself, Mister Strachioner
I’m not getting shot over this
44
Baby
42
I’m out
I’m out
just settle down
38
2
Elder Ezell when I was a little girl
back when you were only a Deacon
Mama always told me you were our friend
the one person I could come to and trust if I had a bad problem
to listen and help me through it
if they were gone or if I thought they couldn’t help
besides going to the preacher
I don’t know Brother Ronnie Parker
that well yet he’s too new to the church
I wouldn’t feel comfortable
going to him even if he is our Minister
will you hear me as my Elder and my friend
and offer any advice you have on what to do next?
Your mama was Maypearl Fleming wasn’t she?
married to Floyd Fleming before he died
when? back in ’54 I think?
wasn’t it a heart attackt back then?
Yes sir
You’re Lucy Beth Strachioner now aren’t you?
married to Jimmy Don Strachioner who works
up to Brown Brothers as a oiler, don’t he?
secretary to the Principal down to the high school I believe?
do I got that right?
Jimmy Don he’s not a member of the Church is he?
Yes sir and no sir, he’s a Baptist
that’s exactly right
Well what is it I can do for you today Miss Lucy Beth?
Elder Ezell
this is the hardest story of my life so far to tell
and I don’t know rightly how to do it
so I’ll just start before the beginning actually was
It was dinnertime yesterday
all the kids out to eat and drag main
I had some time before the afternoon bell rang
thought I’d run some errands go to the Post Office maybe the bank
I went out to the parking lot to get in my car and do them
but it wouldn’t start
It wouldn’t run at all
I went back to see if anybody could help
but the whole building was empty and the phone system down
the only thing I could do was walk home to see if Jimmy Don
could come help me get it running if he was there
that’s over half a mile
when I got home it looked like nobody else was
then I heard this noise from the back
when I went to see he was there Jimmy Don
and this high school girl with a terrible terrible reputation
in our bed naked as the day they were born
coupleating right in front of me
I was so shocked I didn’t know what to do
I have no idea what I said or did but I threw them both out
and told Jimmy Don he shouldn’t never come back again
but he finally did that night anyway
he tried to explain it all away
I didn’t let him
I got the facts and the matter of it is
he and that Kim Pierce child
Walter and Mary Dell Pierce’s girl
Yes sir, that one
they’ve been carrying on that way
ever since Charles Huffman’s homemade Halloween
Horror Show back in October in our house right in my bed
I seen her there that night selling tickets said Johnny Bert Ezell
He said he was sorry and would try to make it up to me
I told him to pack up his clothes go find somewhere else to live
with his little high school extracurricular activity
whose tardys I’d changed every one to unexcused absences
now that I knew what she’d been doing all these months
during 5th period Homemaking Class
he said he didn’t have anywhere to go
besides she’d already told him it was over between them
she’d even got her boyfriend to understand
and forgive her concubinal behavior
so why wouldn’t I do the same thing for him
as my Christian duty to be a subservient wife
he slept on the couch by himself last night
I know divorce is not appreciated by the Church of Christ
but what am I supposed to do?
I feel wronged
dirty
forsaken
cheated upon
adultered
and mocked in the eyes of my community
he won’t agree to go before his church or mine
and beg forgiveness
he says it is none of anybody’s business
it is my duty as his wife to get over it and get on with our lives
just the way it used to be
I do not believe I can do this, Elder Ezell
I believe I have to end either my marriage
or my life
I am so ashamed and embarrassed
filled with anger and even hatred
I don’t know what to do
I don’t even know if I can go back to work
I don’t know if I can attend church services
I am so ashamed of it all
that’s why I came to you
Do you think you can kindly help me any?
3
Lucy Beth
when a car won’t start
the first thing I’d do was check the fuel gauge
turn on the key and if the line don’t come up
it’s probley out of gas and that’s your problem
if there’s gas I’d raise the hood
and look over the front down to the fuel filter
if the glass bowl is empty it’s probley a clogged intake line
if it isn’t see if it’s cloudy or has foreign matter globules
yougn unhook the bottom line and drain it off
air bubbles is more for vapor lock than starting
but you can tap them away most times with your pocket knife
if that’s not it I’d say it will be a matter of ignition or combustion
I’d start with the battry
check the poles and connections first then take off the caps
see if any cells is dry and fill them with clean water if it is
then jump start or charge
I’d recommend 2 amp 72 hours for complete build up
was the red light shining on the dash controls?
it could be the generator, check the belts
if it’s the brushes yougn get a set at Bill Edwards Hardware and Appliance
just take the old ones out the new ones will go right in the clips
it’s real simple if you know how to do it
when you tried to start it did it turn over or was it flat line
or went Clunk? that could be the solenoid
you should of turned the key over and over oncet at a time
to see if the forks might come down and engage
but you may need to crawl under and get it off
the top of the starter where it sets
might pay you to take the starter off while you’re at it
get it tested out yougn get a rebuilt one at Bill Edwards
or a junker out to Charley Baker’s wrecked car lot
be careful of him selling you trash he knows won’t work
now if it’s a matter of combustion
I’d start the easiest with the sparkplugs
pull any one out with your socket-ranch
give it a look to see if it’s foult
you’ll know it in a instan
t when you look
some file and sandpaper then airblow them
I’d just get a new set down to Bill Edwards
don’t get no dadgum Champions get AC’s
they’re worth the extra money
gap them at 32 yougn eyeball it oncet you know what it is
now don’t pucker up on me
we’re making some headway here
it’s just a couple more things to do
go up to the distributor
look over and feel the wores for connection
then take the cap off by pulling out the clips
look over the inside at the rotor and see if its cracked
now bend down over the fender for a sightline
and click the ignition one bump at a time
till the points come all the way open
see if they’re flat or ragged
sometimes yougn file that down but if it’s burnt
get a new set and put it in just like you took the old ones out
gap it at 17 one thousandths
if that was it that car will start up
and purr like a Siamese kitty cat
I’d still if it was me climb up and screw off
the top of the filter housing and eyeball the air filter
if it’s greasey pick it up and feel if it weights heavy
then take and throw it on the ground get anothern and put it in
you’ll feel the different right off
Yougn lean over and examine the carburetor when the housing lid’s off
I don’t recommend you take it off or rebuild it
that’s getting a little complicated for a amateur
mebbe take a clean rag if it’s hard varnish build up and some solvent
or even turpentine I’ve heard twicet to get some of it off
you could check the floats and valves and wings and the choke
I don’t think it’d pay you to do any more
unless you know what you’re doing
you do that and I’ll just bet you you’ve solved your problem
that car will start up and hum like a Esso Bee
but let me tell you this Lucy Beth if it dudn’t
yougn bring it right down to the station I’ll have a looksee
I’ll bet two dollars to a doughnut
wegn get her done one way or anothern
now you cheer up and make a happy face
everything’s gone be just all right
that car’s gone start up and run real good for you
oncet we get her fixed
4
Earlean!
Yes dear?
Mama, would you come in here
Lucy Beth Strachioner
Maypearl and Floyd Flemingses’ daughter
is abawling hysterical and unmerciful
I’m afraid she thinks she’s done broke
and rurnt her car
because it wouldn’t start up for her
yesterday out to the high school
